Expect a bit more variety from the Yuma High School football team during the 2025 season.
“Offensively, we have to find ways to put pressure on (opponents),” coach Kelly Seward said earlier this week. “We need to put teams on their heels more than we did last year.”
The Outlaws open the season at home Friday against the Chase County Longhorns. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Yuma lost 33-6 in last year’s opener in Imperial, Nebraska. The Outlaws were within one score late into the third quarter before the game got away from them.
Seward said Chase County lost 12 seniors from last year’s 4-5 team, but one of those returning is Tucker Mollendor, who is tough on both sides of the ball.
“We have to be prepared for him,” Seward said. “We have to know where he is at all times.”
Yuma made the playoffs again last season, but once again doing so with a losing record. They were knocked from the postseason in the first round by Forge Christian, which went on to lose to Wray in the 1A championship game.
The Outlaws again have a small senior class with seven on the roster, but it is an experienced bunch, and they are joined by a lot of promising juniors and sophomores.
“We’ve got depth,” Seward said. “We’re young but we have depth.”
Junior Iann Duran will step in as the starting quarterback this season. Seward said he brings speed and athleticism to the position, and also throws a nice ball. Sophomore Jose Mario Ross will be the backup quarterback.
David Covarrubias, a senior, will be utilized as a sort of H-back. There are plenty of players available in the backfield, including senior Daden Beauprez, sophomore Brodie Kallweit, junior Christian Thomson, senior Marvin Duarte, and sophomore Chris Wario.
Thomson also will play at the “X” or “Y” spots, along with sophomore Stevie Seward, junior Lennox Huwa and senior Reyli Trejo.
“All options are on the table this year,” Seward said.
Paving the way for the offense will be sophomore Bryan Montes at left tackle, junior Paulo Trujillo at left guard, sophomore Chuey Rodriguez at center, sophomore Jesus Gordo at right guard, and junior Giovanni Segura at right tackle. Sophomores Lief Sims and Dallas Brunk also will be part of the line rotation.
“All are sophomores and juniors,” Seward noted. “They’re tough kids and they’re really starting to mesh together. They’re taking on the role of being they guys, which I really like to see.”
The Outlaws will be looking to disrupt their foes from the defensive side as well.
Leading the way in the defensive line rotation will be Trejo, Sims, Segura, Trujillo, Montes and Beauprez.
Starting outside linebackers are expected to be Covarrubias and Gordo, with Kallweit and Duarte manning the inside linebacker spots.
Ross is at strong safety, senior Tanner Himes at free safety, and the cornerbacks are senior Ethan Nadow, and Thomson or Seward.
“It will be a lot of fun,” coach Seward said. “I think the kids are excited to get going.”